Sometimes it’s interesting to forcibly smoosh two words and see what results: take grace and incarceration, or forgiveness and incarceration. Which nullifies the other? Which word gets the final say? And where does Christianity come into it?
Here’s a little thought experiment you can run with me, if you’re interested: take the following definition and the three quotes. What happens in your head? Ready?
Incarceration [(ɪnkɑːsəˈreɪʃən)]
- The action of incarcerating or fact of being incarcerated; imprisonment.
You can’t forgive without loving. And I don’t mean sentimentality. I don’t mean mush. I mean having enough courage to stand up and say, ‘I forgive. I’m finished with it.’
– Maya Angelou
We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us.
– Martin Luther King Jr.
Grace is something you can never get but can only be given. There’s no way to earn it or deserve it or bring it about any more than you can deserve the taste of raspberries and cream or earn good looks or bring about your own birth.
– Frederick Buechner
So, what happened?
In this issue of Radix, we have several pieces dedicated to incarceration: three interviews (Bob Ekblad: On Grace and the Redeeming Power of Mutuality, Chris Hoke’s Vision for Reconciliation and Restoration, and A Word from the Inside: An Ex-offender’s Perspective), along with contributions in our columns and features categories (Advent: From the Outside, The Gift of Presence, and Angel Island, Incarceration, and the Eucharist).
In addition, we have reviews—including one on the latest The Rings of Power TV series—Christmas fiction, and poetry that warms the soul.
Finally, Arthur Aghajanian’s Visually Sacred Season 3 will be starting shortly!
May our Christmas season be filled with grace—much grace!
– M